Calculating instrument



March 21, 1944. B, srl-Es CALCULATING INSTRUMENT.

Filed July 5, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. L//ZUZ BY zldz/ March 2l, 1944. B. L. sl'rl-:s 2,344,834

CALCULTING INSTRUMENT Filed July 5, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ZZ 3. Jl

INVENTOR.

Patented Mar. 21, 1944 CALCULATING INSTRUMENT Benjamin L.l Sites, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Miehle Printing Press and' Manufacturing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application July 5, 1940, Serial No. 343,978

18 Claims.

The current invention pertains to computing or calculating appliances whereby to determine data dependent upon at least three variables, as, for instance, in the case where a mathematical expression can be set up involving not less than three variables with a fourth' or fourth and fifth unknown depending upon such three variables with continuous or discontinuous function, as, for example, assume that it becomes necessary to calculate the intensity of light falling at the tip of a mans shadow as he walks directly away from a source of elevated light, or assume that it is desired to know the height of an airplane by someone on the ground.

This new appliance is perhaps peculiarly and especially well adapted for ascertaining certain photographic data, as for instance,if one has a photographic-negativel and it is desired to make a positive photographic-transparency through it with definite` physical characteristics, the calculating-instrument of this novel type can be used to distinct advantage, although it is t'i-be under- |4 is a shaft I8 extended through the front wall I2, as shown in Figure 3, and, to such forwardlyprotruding end-portion ofthe shaft is keyed the stood that the principles underlying the construction and mode of operation of the instrument are in no sense confined to such specific employment.

To enable those acquainted with this craft and art to more fully understand the invention, both from structural and functional standpoints, thus affording a viewpoint of the various uses to which such instrument may be satisfactorily put, a present preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the 'accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and to which reference should be had in connection with the following detailed description, and, for simplicity, like reference numerals have been used to designate the same parts throughout the views.

In these drawings;

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the novel instrument;

Figure 2 is a front face-view of the appliance;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on line 3-3 of Figure 1:

Figure 4 is a cross-section on line 4-4 of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure l on a somewhat enlarged scale.

Referring to these several views of the drawings, it `will be noted that the casing or housing of the instrument, characterized II as a whole, has front, side and rear walls I2. I3. I3 and I4, respectively, and also has a top wall I 5.

Rotatably mounted in suitable aligned bearings I3 and I1 in the front and back walls I2 and hub I9 of a round disc or dial 2|, the circular periphery of which is graduated in photographicdensities at 22 (Fig. l), and, to facilitate turning or rotary adjustment of such dial, the hub I9 is supplied with an accessible, outstanding, radiallydisposed handle 23.

Also xedly mounted on such shaft inside of the housing, so as to turn with the shaft, is a cylindrical-drum 24 having on its surface a series of longitudinal rows of numerals 25, each numeral of which represents a. photographic or emulsion developer-strength, and, by turning the shaft and drum, any one row of such indicia may be brought into register with a narrow, elongated slot or window 26 through the top-wall I5 of the encasing housing, thus rendering that particular row only visible to the operator of the apparatus.

In order to lock the dial 2l and its associated drum 24 in any one of their several positions of angular adjustment, the dialis externally provided with a circular series of radially-disposed holes 21, any one of which may receive a springpressed, manually-retractable lock-bolt 28.

The teeth of a small gear 3| (Figs. 3 and 4), fixed on and rotatable with shaft I8, mesh with those of a suitably-journaled companion-gear 32, the teeth of the latter meshing with those of a slidably-mounted rack 33 adapted to travel crosswise of the apparatus. y

By means of an upwardly-extended screw 34 mounted on an end portion of the rack-bar 33 and projecting up through a slot 35 through the top wall of the instrument, a relatively-long, lengthwise-slotted arm 36, just above the top wall I5, is fulcrumed at one end to the rack 33, and, from what precedes, it will be clear that, as shaft I8 is turned by its operating-handle 23 to bring any desired graduation of the densityscale 22 into register with the zero point of a companion or complementary density-graduated scale 31 on the upper face of a cross-bar 48 mounted on the top-wall I5 parallel tothe line of travel of the fulcrum-screw 34, the fulcrumed end of the arm 36 will be correspondingly moved.

The reading on dial 2| with relation to the rezo of scale 31, or with reference to an index-line 55 in register therewith. will always be the same as the location of the fulcrum of the arm 36 with relation to scale 31.

The path of travel of the axis of the fulcrumscrew 34, which is at a right-angle to the axis of the drum or cylinder 24, may be considered as a base-line of a rectilinear-system of coordinates.

The undercut, longitudinal slot in arm 33 (Fig. is provided with a correspondingly-shaped slide 3l therein, which has an associated block Il fitting and slidable in the lengthwise slot 40 of bar 4l. such member 39 having an upper, integral section 43 above bar 4i and wide enough to partially overlap the bar laterally, and, in order that the two crossing. slotted members 36 and 4| may be maintained in the specified relation and may be temporarily locked in any desired position or relation of adjustment, the block 39,

43 has a hole therethrough accommodating a screw 44 on which the element 39, 43 may turn, the lower end of lthe screw being threaded to engage in a threaded hole in the element 38. the screw being provided with an accessible knurled knob 4l b v means of which it may be tightened and loosened to lock the parts together or to free them'i'or adjustment with relation to one another. the block 43 having an index-line in register with the intersecting axes of the parts 36 and 4| coacting with the density-graduations of a scale 42 along one edge oi' the slot 40 of bar 4i.

Theend of bar 4| is xedly mounted in anv approved manner in and movable with :ir slide 46 (Fig. 5) occupying and manually adjustable along a groove between a bar 41 secured to the ton of the appliance parallel to slot 35 and bar 48, hereinbefore referred to, and also parallel to slot 35. An index-line 49 on slide 45 in register with the axis of the lengthwise slot 40 of bar 4i'cooperates with the density-scale 31 on the top face of bar 43 to indicate the position oi' adjustment of bar 4|. which, as will be observed, as well as its slot 40, are exactly at a right-angle to the base-line mentioned above.

Slide 48 and bar 4I which it carries may be locked in any position of adjustment by asetscrew l5 extended through the slide 46 and arranged and designed when in lockingr relation to press or bear on the top face of bar 41. a portion of the slide underlying a part of bar 43 as presented in Figure 5.

The aero oi' scale 42 may or may not be in register with the speciiied base-line depending upon the nature of the calculation undergoing solution by the instrument.

Nor does the density-scale 42 need to have its graduations spaced apart exactly like those of scale 31, and, in fact, in the drawings scale 42 is more condensed than scale 31 in order to decrease the size of the apparatus'.

As is clearly portrayed, the long. undercut slot of arm 35 accommodates another slide 5| (Fig. 3) equipped with a handle or knob 52 so that such; element 5| may move lengthwise in the slot, the center o1' member 5I being pivotally connected to a slide 53 reciprocatory in the housing slot 26, hereinabove referred to, such member 53 having therethrough a small window 54 through which one only ot the numerals in the underlying row on the cylinder 24 is displayed at a time.

In this connection, it should be observed that the axis of slot 25 through the top wall of the casing is always in register with the zero-line 55 of scale 31 which also constitutes an index cooperating with the graduations 22 of the dial 2 i, the apertures 21 in the dial being so located that when any one is entered by the lock-bolt 28, one row only of numerals will be in register with the slot or elongated window 26. v

:As is illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, dial 22 has angularly-adjustably mounted on its front face a ring 5I held in any desired position of adjustment by a plurality of screws 62, 62 occupying threaded holes in dial 22 and partially overlapping the face of the ring by extending beyond the circular boss 63 of the dial on which the ring is mounted.

On its circular peliphery, directly adjacent to the density-scale 22, this ring, which has the same outside diameter as the dial 2 I, has a graduated exposure-scale 64, the correct adjustment ot the latter with relation to the scale 22 being determined experimentally or from furnished data, each batch of light-sensitive emulsion bearing its own specific number.

Assuming that it is desired to make a photographic positive-transparency with definite physical characteristics from an available negative, the high-light density of such transparency is determined from the instrument when the latteris set or adjusted from the known or determinable highlight density of the negative which we will assume in this case as 1.8, and, by unlocking the dial 2i and turning it the graduation 1.8 is brought into register with the stationary indexline 55, whereupon the dial is again locked in this relation.

Such operation has turned the graduated-drum to bring the proper or corresponding row of figures 25 into register with the display-opening 25 and has also, through the gear-and-rack mechanism shifted the fulcrum 34 of the arm 36 into a position in register with the like density graduation or value on scale 3l, so that the position of such fulcrum from the zero-line 55 and the correct row of displayed numerals on the cylinder are in harmony or consonance.

Then slide 46 and its slotted bar 4| are slid along until the index-line 49 on slide 46 registers With the graduation on scale 31 corresponding to the shadow-density of the negative, this being 1.00 in the instant case. as shown in Figure 1.

One of the ascertained or established characteristics of the positive-transparency is one item of its known density-gradient, sometimes called its density-range, and the member 38-39--43 is adjusted along the slot 40 of bar 4i until its index-line registers with the item valuation on scale 42, such operation determining the slope, inclination or obliquity of the arm 36 whose angular position is necessarily determined by the position of the compound-block 38-33-43 in the slot of bar 4I, such block being then temporarily locked in the required position by tightening screw 44 by its knob 45.

As will be readily understood, the rocking or angular adjustment thus effected has through its conjoint members or slides 5i, 53 brought the window 54 into a definite position displaying therethrough a. numeral indicative of the strength of the developer to be used for a predetermined period oi' time in developing the light-sensitive emulsion exposed through the negative for a period of the time shown on the scale 64 of the adjusted ring 8i opposite the index-line 55, which, of course, in this particular case, is opposite the graduation 1.8 of the dial 2|.

Therefore, by this calculating-instrument, we have determined the initial unknown factors, exposure-tlme and developer-strength, necessary to produce the required positive-transparency from the negative, the development period at a suitable temperature having been preliminarily xed.

Thus, with the three variables (a) the position of the fulcrum 34, (b) the position of the slide 4B and bar 4| and (c) the position of the slide in the slot of the bar 4I, we have been :,'asasaa "l developer-strength and exposure, involved in the solution of the problem presented.

Those. acquainted with this craft and art will readily understand that the invention, as defined bythe appended claims. is not necessarily limited and restricted to the preciseand exact details'of structure herein set forth and that modifications may be resorted to without departure from the heart and substance of the invention and without the loss of any of its substantial benefits. l

I claim:

1. In a calculating-instrument having supporting-means for the component parts of the instrument hereinafter set forth, a plurality of series of indicia, a rock-arm cooperating with said indicia, a fulcrum for said rock-arm adjustable in a definite path in the plane of movement of said rock-arm around said fulcrum, and means including graduations to indicate individually the various positions of adjustment of said fulcrum, the novel combination of, means to denote the particular one of said indicia-series which corresponds to each adjusted position of said fulcrum, an element disposed at an angle to the direction of adjustment of said fulcrum and adjustable in said direction and independently of the adjustment of said fulcrum, means to indicate each adjusted position of said element including graduations, and means, including additional graduations, dependent upon the relation of said rock-arm to said element to denne the single one of said additional graduations corresponding to each adjusted position of said rock-arm, said rock-arm identifying that single index of the denoted one of said indicia series corresponding to each of its adjusted positions.

2. In a calculating-instrument having supporting-means for the component parts of the instrument hereinafter set forth, a plurality of series of indicia, a rock-arm cooperating with said indicia, a fulcrum'for said rock-arm adjustable in a definite path in the plane of movement of said rock-arm around said fulcrum, and means including graduations to indicate individually the various positions of adjustment of said fulcrum, the novel combination of, means to denote the particular one of said indicia-series which corresponds to each adjusted position of said fulcrum, an element disposed at an angle to the direction 'of adjustment of said fulcrum and adjustable in said direction and independently of the adjustment of said fulcrum, means connecting said rock-arm and element and adjustable along both, means, including graduations, to indicate each adjusted position of said element, means, including additional graduations, to show each adjusted position of said conmeeting-means along said element, and means additional to, and actuated by, said rock-arm to whereby the adjustment t the position or said fuicrum simultaneously causes the denotation of the corresponding one of said indicia-series.

6. Theriovel combination of means set forth in claim 2, in cooperative relation with means coupling said fulcrum and said denoting-means together whereby the adjustment of the `position of said fulcrum simultaneously causes Vthe denotation of the corresponding one of said indicia-series.

l1. The novel combination of means set forth in claim 1, in cooperation with means coupling said fulcrum and said ydenoting-means together whereby the adjustment of the position of said fulcrum simultaneously causes the denotation of s the corresponding one of said indicia-series, and

in which the direction of adjustment of said element is straight, and in which said angle is a right-angle.

8. The novel combination of means set forth in claim 2, in cooperation with means coupllngsaid flulcrum and said denoting-means together whereby the adjustment of the position of said fulcrum simultaneously causes the denotation of the corresponding one of said indicia-series, and in which the direction of adjustment of said element is straight, and in which said angle is a right-angle. v

9. The novel combination of means set forth in claim l, in cooperative relation with supplemental graduated-means alongside of, and adjustable relativelyA to, the graduations of said means representing the various positions of adjustment of said fulcrum. g i0. The novel combination of means set forth in claim 2, in cooperative relation with supplemental graduated-means alongside of, and adjustable relatively to, the graduations of said means representing the various positions of adjustment of said fulcrum.

l1. The novel combination of means set forth in claim 1, in which said indicia represent photographic developer-strengths, in which said graduations represent photographic-densities, and in cooperative relation with supplemental photographic-exposure graduated-means alongside of, and adjustable relatively to, the graduations of said means representing the various positions of adjustment of said fulcrum.

12. The novel combination of means set forth in claim 2, in which said indicia represent photographic developer-strengths, in which said gradidentify that single index of the denoted one of said indicia series corresponding to each adjusted position of said rock-arm.

3. The novel combination of means set forth in claim 1, in which the direction of adjustment of said element is straight and in which said angle is at a right-angle.

4. The novel combination of means set forth in claim 2, in which the direction of adjustment of said element is straight and in which said angle is a right-angle.

5. The novel combination of means set forth in tlaim 1, in cooperation with means coupling said fulcrum and said denoting-means together nations represent photographic-densities, and in cooperative relation with supplemental photographic-exposure graduated-means alongside of, and adjustable relatively to, the graduations of said means representing the various positions of adjustment of said fulcrum.

13. The novel combination of means set forth in claim 1, in which said indicia represent photographic developer-strengths, in which said graduations represent photographic-densities, in which said direction of adjustment of said element is straight, in which said angle is a rightangle, in cooperative relation with supplemental photographic-exposure graduated-means alongside of, and adjustable relatively to, the graduations of said means representing the various po- -sitions of adjustment of said fulcrum, and in cooperative relation with means coupllng said fulcrum and said denoting-means together whereby the adjustment of the position of said fulcrum simultaneously causes the denotation of the corresponding one of said indicia-series.

14. The novel combination of means set forth in claim 2. in which said indicia represent photographic developer-strengths, in which said graduations represent photographic-densities. in which said direction oi'- adiustment of said element is straight, in which said angle is a rightangle. in cooperative relation with supplemental photographic-exposure graduated-means alongsida of, and adjustable relatively to. the graduations of said means representing the various positions of adjustment of said fulcrum. and in cooperative relation with means coupling said fulcrum and said denoting-means together whereby the adjustment of the position of said fulcrum simultaneously causes the denotation of the corresponding one of said indicia-series.

i5. The novel combination of means set forth in claim i, in cooperative relation with a drum displaying on its extarnal surface said plurality of series of indicia disposed longitudinally of said drum. and means turn said drum on its axis simultaneously wi the adjustments of said fulcrum to bring into erative position that one of said series corresponding to each position of adjustment of said fulcrum, and in which the direction of adjustment f said element is at rightangles to the axis o! said drum.

16. The novel combination of means set forth in claim 2. in cooperative relation with a drum displaying on its external surface said plurality of series of indicia disposed longitudinally of said drum, and means to turn said drum on its axis simultaneously with the adjustments of said fulcrum to bring into operative position that one of said series corresponding to each position of adjustment oi said fulcrum, and in which the direction of adjustment of said element is at rightangles to the his of said drum.

17. The novel combination of means set'forth in claim l, in which said supporting-means includes a housing. and in cooperative relation with a suitably-journaled shaft at least in part in said housing. means to turn said shaft manually, a

ascuas drum in said housing rotatable with said shaft and displaying on its exterior surface said Plurality of series of indicia in longitudinal rows, means l adjustment of said element is in a path at rightangles to the axis ofsaid drum, and in which said fulcrum position indicating-means includes a graduated-dial rotatable with said shaft.

18. The novel combination of means set forth in claim 2. in which said supporting-means includes a housing. and in co-operative relation with a suitably-journaled shaft .at least in part in said housing. means to turn said shaft manu ally, a drum in said housing rotatable with said shaft and displaying on its exterior surface said plurality of series of indicia in longitudinal rows, means actuated by said shaft to adjust said fulcrum correspondingly and simultaneously. means to releasably lock said shaft. drum and fulcrum in their several positions of adjustment, and in which said denoting-means includes a window in said housing through which to display one only of said series of indicia at a time, in which the adjustment of said element is in a path at rightangles to the axis of said drum, in which said fulcrum position indicating-means includes a graduated-dial rotatable with said shaft, and in which said identifying-means includes a multipleslide having two sections hinged together with one section slidable along said rock-arm and the other section slidable in said housing-window and equipped with a window through which the proper single index corresponding to the position of said rock-arm is displayed.

BENJALUN L. BITES. 

